From Sidekick, to Apprentice, to Equal
by riri6475
Summary: Robin is blackmailed into being the apprentice of Slade. She fakes her death with the help of her clone and the Red Hood. See how she fights for her freedom, her friends lives and her family. femRobin/Red Hood
1. Disclamer

I do not own Young Justice or any superheroes/ villains.

A scene from Teen Titans has been used but altered to fit the story.

This is my first story so please comment so I can get better, add, or change anything to make the story better.


	2. Chapter 1

~Italics are speaking through the mental link.~

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"Robin head toward the main computer room and get the files."

Aqualad looked to where the youngest teammate stood to see an empty space. He sighed, Robin was always disappearing without warning or saying where he went. ~_Robin where are you?_ ~_Getting the data we need~. _"Kid," Aqualad looked over at the resident speedster, "Go cover Robin." "On it El-Cap-e-ton" Kid Flash raced off to the main computer room where the teams hacker was, well, hacking.

"Dude what did you do to the poor guy hes moaning like his head is on fire?" Robin didn't even flinch at the sudden appearance, "I put him a sleeper hold, he'll be fine but he is not going to be whelmed when he wakes up that's for sure."

Right about Kid Flash was about to no doubt comment about his best friend's lack of knowledge for the English language Robin's glove beeped. _~Aqualad, I have the information Batman wanted~Good meet back up with the team~_ "Let's go."

Robin and Kid Flash made their way to exit the computer room when an explosion knocked them off-balance. Robin and Kid Flash looked at each others, eyes wide. _~ What happened down there!? Is everyone okay?~We are well~Well?! Bird boy, Baywatch, get your asses down here now!~What's going on?~We are under attack~ On our way~_

Robin and Kid Flash raced to the team and what they saw made them stubble in shock. Robots, black bodies with silver around the calf, forearms, and neck and orange face plates. The two jumped into action, fighting their way through to the team. Kid Flash got there first. "Are you guys okay?" He asked, coming to a stop in front of them. "Just peachy," Superboy responded while slamming a bot into the wall.

From the shadows a figure stood watching the fight, admiring the young bird fighting, "You will be mine" he thought then he took aim at Robins team.


	3. Chapter 2

**Robin POV**

Robin's neck prickled, someone was watching them, most likely the puppet master of the robots. She flipped up the catwalk of the old warehouse and looked around, hidden in the shadows and saw a figure aiming a device at her team. Her eyes widened _~ Guys loo-~ _The figure fired the device, Robin stood paralyzed as she watched the beam hit her teammates.

She watched in gut-wrenching fear as the beam enveloped the people she considers family, when the beam faded, though, everyone was fine and all of the robots they were fighting had vanished. Robin looked back where the figure stood, but he too had disappeared.

Robin jumped down to her team,"Are you guys alright?" she asked concerned. " We are unharmed." Aqualad says, as formal as always. "Dude, what was that thing?" " I don't know KF." But she was determined to find out. "Lets return to Mount. Justice" The team boarded the bioship and and headed back.

#####################At Mount Justice###########################################################################

"A simple data collecting mission on a drug cartel, get in and get out. What happened?" Batman practically growled. "We ran into some complications." Aqualad said, "Robots overtook the warehouse and started to attack us, we gained the intel and left as quickly as possible." Robin noticed that he didn't say anything about the ray, as she looked around it seemed an unspoken agreement not to tell Bats. Batman narrowed his eyes '_Crap he doesn't believe us.'_

Batman soon dismissed the team and they gathered in the living area. "Why didn't you tell Batman what really happened?" "I did not wish to worry anyone by what happened Robin, it had no effect on us." Aqualad replied. Robin didn't fell so sure about the ray having no effect, the villain, whoever it was, had done it for a reason, but the team were all nodding their heads in agreement so she let it go.

Robin retreated to her room at the mountain soon afterwards claiming she was tired.

Robin shut the door to her room with a sigh. She then changed into civies but left off the wrap that she uses to hide she is a girl. _'Wish I could tell them.'_

#######Flashback#############################################################################################

"Mami de ce nu am să ascund fi o fată?" **Mommy why do I have to hide being a girl?** a four year old Rachael Grayson (known to everyone except her parents as Richard) asked. "Pentru ca micul meu prihor, oameni foarte răi sunt după noi și dacă vor afla cine suntem ne vor face rău și apoi du-te după tine. În cazul în care nimeni nu știe că sunteți o fată va fi mai ușor pentru tine de a găsi." **Because my little Robin, very bad people are after us and if they find out who we are they will hurt us and then go after you. If no one knows you are a girl it will be easier for you to hide.** The four year old nodded, thinking hard. "Nimic nu se va întâmpla la tine, deși nu?" **Nothing's going to happen to you though right? **Rachael's parents, Mary and John, looked at each other, "Eu nu sper, dar promite-mi că nu va spune nimănui ești o fată în regulă?" **I hope not but promise me you will never tell anyone you are a girl, ok? **"Mami Bine."**Okay Mommy****.**

#############End Flashback#####################################################################################

Robin sighed again with her head in her hands, sitting on the of her bed. She looks up at the picture of her parents, "Am ținut promisiunea mea, dar eu nu vreau să mai fac acest lucru. Nu pot." **I've kept my promise but I don't want to do this anymore. I can't. **_'I haven't even told Bruce, Alfred, or my brothers. Well, one knows the truth.'_

"Yo Rob! M'gann made dinner, hurry up." KF banged on the door. " Coming Kid Stomach." Robin said, hopeful that she sounded like usual. Robin then got up and went to eat with the rest of the team, the family, she was lying to.

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*I got the Romanian translations from Google, sorry if it's wrong. I know that Robin is Romani but since there is no written form I used Romanian.


	4. Chapter 3

**No One POV**

It has been 2 months since the fight in the warehouse and everyone on the team had forgot about the laser beam that had no apparent side-effects, except Robin.

For 2 months she observed her team, watching for any subtle changes in them from mood swings to speech patterns to their actions. Nothing.

She could find nothing amiss, it was as if nothing happened at all; but Robin knew deep down that something had, and that whatever that villain had planned, it would change all of their lives forever.

###############################On a Mission##############################################################

*I'm sorry in advance, I'm really bad at fight scenes*

**Robin POV**

~_How does this always happen? ~Maybe if you weren't so damn loud on a stealth mission we wouldn't get caught Baywatch~Ya well if you~Enough.~ _

Already in a defensive stance, Robin listened to the brewing argument between Kid Flash and Artemis in tense silence, '_Now is not a time for them to be distracted.'_ She was relieved when Aqualad stepped in and ended the fight.

_~No one is to blame but we must work together as a team to win this fight~_ Robin jumped forward with her signature hair-raising cackle and pounced on the first thug.

The others followed and chaos ensued. In the midst of knocking a thug out with around house kick, pushing off his chest, back-flipping, and punching another in the head to knock him out Robin felt that something was off.

More thugs were coming at her forcing her to back up, away from her team, and she realized that they were trying to separate her from the team. But only enough to make her step back they weren't trying to kill her, unlike her team with whom they were trying their best to kill. '_But why?'_

Robin scanned the building again, there in the south corner, that has a visual of the entire fight, was a hidden camera that only highly trained people would spot.

Robin was just about to warn her team when ~_Does anyone else hear that ticking?~Not all of us have super hearing Supey~Hush Kid. Superboy what kind of ticking?~I don't know exactly the closest I can compare it to Robin's birdarangs Kald…~BOMB! Everyone out of the…~_

A loud bang and searing heat interrupted Robin, the bomb exploded, further separating Robin from her team. The blast propelled Robin into the wall.

From the flames, Robin saw a pair of black and silver boots walking toward her before darkness took over.

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**Villain POV**

Slade slowly walked toward the bird on the ground covered in burns and his own blood, watching as those masked eyes closed and Robin fell unconscious.

Slade smiled, at last, he has his apprentice.


	5. Chapter 4

**Robin's POV**

Robin opened her eyes slowly, blinking at the harsh light. _'Where am I? What happened?', _the events of the fight came back to her in a rush. Robin bolts upright and scans the room, noticing every detail.

The room was small, containing the bed she was sitting on, a full lenght mirror and a dresser. The walls were a dark, burnt looking orange. The sheets were half orange, half black with a strange silver "S" in the middle. The dresser was black, polished wood.

There were two doors in the room, one was open where she could see it leads to a bathroom. The other door was closed, with a camera situated above it pointed directly at the bed. _'Well it looks like they know I'm awake. Whoever they are.'_

Robin then looks at herself in the mirror. She is in a loose white shirt and black pants. She has a Band-Aid on her forehead and her mask is still in place. _'Thank God my mask is still on,' _she thougt to herself but then realized in a panic, _'Someone changed my clothes! They know I'm a girl! But why did they leave the bindings in place if they know?'_

Robin didn't have time to ponder the question as the sound of footsteps echoed, coming closer to the room she was in. Robin quickly got up and got into a guarded stance with her back against the wall She tensed as she heard a key sliding in the lock on her door. The door swung open to reveal an aging man, he had silver/white hair and brown eyes and wearing a butler's outfit. He was also caring a tray of food and medical supplies.

"Ah, hello. So glad to see you finally awake, how are you feeling?" the man asked. The man set the tray down slowly as if talking to a wild animal, making no sudden moves.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Robin didn't trust the man one bit, as soon as she gathered that information she was going to get out of here.

"Oh, I seems I forgot to introduce myself, I am Wintergreen, Mr. Wilson's butler. As for where you are I'm afraid I cannot say. I am not going to hurt you Miss. Robin, but I do need to tend to your wounds so if you would please sit down."

Robin eyed the man, Wintergreen, warily. His facial expression and body language agreed with his words. It was the same expression that Alfred got when he was changing one of the bat clan's wounds.

Robin carefully walked to the bed and sat down gingerly, her side twinging painfully.

"So you're the one that dressed my side and changed my clothes?" her voice was faint, barely higher than a whisper.

"Indeed I am. Imagine my surprise when the boy wonder turned out to be a girl. You have kept it very well hidden, my girl." A flash of panic flew across Robin's face, "Don't worry Miss Robin, I told no one your secret."

Relief flooded Robin and she slouched on the bed, Wintergreen had pulled her shirt up exposing the bandages. Silence fell as Wintergreen redressed Robin's side with new, crisp white gauze.

Hesitantly Robin asked, "Are you going to tell anyone that I am a girl?" "No, I am not." Wintergreen looked up and held Robin's eyes. There was surprising determination and concern in them, "Whatever reason you have for keeping your gender a secret, when you already wear a mask, must be an important one."

Robin smiled, "Thank you." Wintergreen nodded. Your side is still tender and you should not be up yet. You should go back to bed and rest. I will tell My master you are still asleep, recovering.

Wintergreen then gathered up the supplies and left the room, plunging the room into thick silence. Robin lay back down and sighed. _There's another person how found out my secret. More stressful for me but a least he took it more calmly than Jason did._ She sighed gain, knowing she can't do anything, laid down and closed her eyes.

################Flashback##############################################################################

Jason has been noticing weird things about Dick lately, little things. His voice being higher when he thinks no one is around, calling himself 'Rae' when he thinks no one is listening and other small little things that no one else seems to notice.

They had just come back from fighting Killer Crock and something he did worried Jason. During the fight, Robin had gotten thrown into the sewer wall pretty hard and he was clutching his side beneath his cape. Bats didn't seem to notice and when they got back to the cave Dick changed and ran up to his room.

So here he is, standing outside his younger brother's room. Jason raised his arm and knocked on the door. No one answered. Jason slowly opened the door and peeked in, then he heard the shower running. Jason stepped into the room, closing the door behind him and decided to sit on the bed to wait.

Five minutes later the shower turned off, but the person how stepped out of the bathroom was not his brother. Standing in front of him was a petite young girl, staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. She was about a head shorter than him with black hair and the deepest sapphire blue eyes he had ever seen.

Rachael stood frozen in the doorway of her bathroom in shock and fear as she saw her older brother Jason sitting on her bed. She knew her secret was out as his intense dark green eyes took in her form, resting on her eyes.

"D..Dick?" The question was barley more than a whisper but she heard it. Wordlessly she nodded her head. Realizing she was only in a towel she blushed, grabbed some clothes and went back into the bathroom to dress.

When she came back out in a blue shirt and grey sweatpants Jason was still staring in shock. She picked at her shirt nervously.

"How…What..?" Jason shook his head to clear it. "You're a girl?" Rachael nodded and said in a panicked voice just slightly above an indoor voice, "Please don't tell anyone!"

Jason was silent for a minute, "Does Bruce or Alfred know?" "No, and you can't tell them Jason! You can't tell anyone!"

"Tell me everything." Rachael nodded and sat down on the bed next to Jason and began her story.

"My parents' real names weren't Mary and John Grayson. They didn't even know their real names. The only name they remembered going by was 'Talon'. They were assassins of the Court of Owls, the best of the court. They fell in love, and didn't want a life of killing anymore so they ran. Left everything that connected them to the Court: knives, masks, uniforms; everything in a storage unit in Bludhaven. Then they joined Haley's Circus, keeping up with their training but using it to make people smile not scream in fear.

Then my mom had me and my parents were so scared that the Court would find them that they made everyone think I was a boy. They also kept me hidden for a year, making everyone think I am a year younger than I am. That way if the Court ever found us I could disappear because they would be looking for a boy, not a girl. My parents started training me in what the court trained them: hand-to-hand, knives, swords, disguises, reading body language, hacking, and more. They also left training videos and others explaining things for me in the storage unit. They made me promise not to reveal that I was a girl to anyone so when Bruce adopted me I didn't tell him. I didn't tell anyone."

Robin had been staring at the floor throughout her story, when it was silent after she finished, she dared a peek at Jason. He was staring at her.

"What's your real name?" "What?" The question was so random that see didn't understand it. "What's your real name, for the real you?" "Oh, Rachael. My name is Rachael."

#########Another Flashback################################################################################

Since that night Jason has helped Rachael keep her secret. They had set up two apartments for her, one in Gotham and one in Bludhaven, for her to keep all her female clothes, hygiene products, make-up, etc. Only her and Jason had access to the apartments and they were closer than ever before. The rest of the Bat Clan where puzzled but happy at the two's close bond.

Rachael and Jason also made their own 'Bat Cave' in Bludhaven and transferred everything from her parents' storage unit there. They would train together from the videos but promised never to use the skills in anyone presence except theirs, even in the field lest someone start asking questions.

Rachael also taught Jason Romani, her first language. Everyone else thought it was Romanian, another precaution made by her parents.

**Note that this story happens after Jason dies and comes back as Red Hood. In the story, he lives in Bludhhaven and is only two years older than Rachael. (3 years older than Richard)**


	6. Chapter 5

**No One's POV**

Wintergreen just finished changing the video recording in Robin's room to a loop of her sleeping as he changed her bandages, when Slade walked in.

"Is he awake?" "No Master he isn't yet. The wound was severe on one that young." Slade sighed, "If he doesn't wake up in two hours I will wake him up myself." "Yes Sir."

Slade turned around and headed to the gym to train. Wintergreen sat down at the computer desk and stared at the screen of a sleeping Robin, deep in thought.

#####################################################################################################

**Robin POV**

Robin woke to the sound of the door opening. She kept her breathing even and her eyes shut, pretending to still be asleep. When a hand was placed on her shoulder, she pounced.

Robin grabbed the person's wrist and pulled it towards her as she sat up and kicked the person in the stomach. Then she went to sweep out their legs from under them when another hand grabbed her and flung her across the room.

Robin twisted and landed in a crouch on the ground and she got her first look at her captor. He was tall, about 6ft 4in, and had a strong build. He was wearing a black body suit with silver armor running up his legs, around his waist, on his forearms, across his shoulder blades and upper chest. He had a helmet on covering his face, half of the mask was orange, the other half was black.

The masked man started chuckling, "I knew I picked a good one. Hello Robin."

"Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?" She fired off rapid questions, her mind going a million miles a minute.

"Well Robin, I am Slade Wilson." Robin's eyes widened, "Deathstroke," she whispered in stunned and hopeful disbelief.

Robin could tell he was smiling behind that mask, "So you've heard of me, good. The reason you are here is quite simple, you are my new apprentice."

Her eyes narrowed and she deepened her crouch, "What makes you think I would ever work for you?"

Slade nodded his head, as if expecting the question. Expecting her defiance. "Well my dear Robin you don't have a choice. I'm sure you remember that mission your team had around two months ago. The robots…the beam that hit your teammates…"

Robin straightened up in shock, "It was you," she breathed, "What did you do to them? What did it do?" She demanded, taking a step forward.

"The Ray contained nanotech that was injected into their bloodstreams. I press this button," Slade pulled a small remote out of his belt, "and they activate, boiling your little friends from the inside out. Until they die."

Robin took a step forward but Slade put his finger over the button in warning. Robin stopped and after a tense second, hung her head in defeat. Slade nodded in approval. He walked over and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I knew you would see things my way. From now on you will no longer be Robin, your name is Red X and you will call me Master. Is that understood?"

Robin stayed silent. Slade grabbed her chin and jerked it up roughly. "I said am I understood?" he growled.

Her shoulders sagged in defeat. "Yes Master." Said Red X.

Behind his mask, Deathstroke smiled.


	7. Chapter 6

***Depending on who's POV it is depends on what Robin is called and if I am using 'he' or 'she'***

**No One's POV**

It has been seven months since Robin was taken by Deathstroke. She was trained brutally in Slade's specific fighting style. Wintergreen attened to wounds she received during the training every night at the start of her training, and for defiance punishments, but her wounds had lessened in frequency as time went on.

Even though Robin hated the position she was in, she understood the advantages of learning another fighting style, especially one as advanced as Deathstroke's. She didn't use any previous knowledge of fighting, focusing on the style being taught to her.

Deathstroke was both surprised and impressed as Red X's training went on. He noticed that he didn't use any techniques that the Bat had taught him; he absorbed all the moves shown to him, some that he used against the boy, and copied the moves. Becoming very proficient in his fighting style in a very short amount of time.

###################################################

**Robin's POV**

Robin was in Red X's room, she would never call it her's, at the base. She was sitting on the bed, idly playing with a sword Slade had given her.

A knock on the door had her sitting up, body alert for anything. Wintergreen stood in the doorway, "Master Wilson wishes to see you." Robin stood up and nodded, heading for the door.

"Master Wilson said for you to come in full uniform." Robin stopped and looked momentarily surprised before an emotionless mask took its place. _'What could he possibly want now?'_

She turned and started putting on the uniform she was given. She looked at in disgust.

From the waist down it was the same as Deathstroke's. Black leggings with sliver, plate-like armor on the boots and up her legs. She had the same silver belt and plating running up her arms and around her shoulders and neck. The only difference is her top. The shirt is half black and half orange with a stylized 'S' on the upper left of the chest.

Needless to say, she hated the offending cloth that tied her to the man. After everything was in place she followed Wintergreen down the corridor.

Throughout her time at Deathstroke's base she had come to like and respect the man walking beside her. He was caring and sympathetic to her, obviously not happy with his employer's treatment of her. And he kept her gender a secret from Deathstroke.

The room they came to was a room she had never been in before, stepping in the room she found it to be a briefing room. Though confused and curious, she kept her face carefully blank as she look at her so-called _Master_. '_Master, ya right, more like kidnapper, jailer, torturer and all around bastard.'_

"You sent for me?" She asked, specifically not saying Master. He shot her a dark look but didn't do anything else. _'Something must be going on, he wouldn't have let that go otherwise.' _

"The time has come my apprentice, you have progressed enough to go on your first mission." He paused here and she could tell he was smiling triumphantly behind his mask.

"You are to go to Jump City and retrieve a very important piece of technology for me." Robin's eyes widened then narrowed, "I am not stealing anything for you!" she snarled at him.

Deathstroke's own eyes narrowed, "You will do what I tell you to do, _apprentice," _he growled dangerously, stalking toward her, "You would do well to remember who is in charge."

Deathstroke pulled a slim remote out of his belt. Robin's eyes widened, recognizing the device that he had threatened her with multiple times when she tested his patience, the device that held the key her friends lives.

Robin lowered her head in submission, "Yes Master." She said quietly while glaring at the floor. _'I will find a way to free all of you. Whatever it takes.' _ Behind her mask, her eyes flashed with determination at the vow she made in her head.

"Very good. The device is being held in a Star Labs facility. You are to go in, retrieve it, and get out. I will be watching and listening to everything, do you understand?" he said, still figuring the device.

Robin nodded, head still bowed. She understood the threat, do anything to warn or communicate with anyone and her friends would pay the price. "What is the device?" She asked.

"Do not worry about that, I will guide you to it." Robin nodded her head again. "Head out. Do not fail me."

Robin swiftly turned and left the room. Walking toward a crime she did not want to commit, but had no choice.


End file.
